Tuesday, January 31, 2012

If the title alone doesn't make you want to check this out, then get this... Let's say, ohh, Lich King and Vektor were to have a baby; this is what it would sound like. And, I'm not even joking. This band is like the thrash metal father of Scale the Summit. What is the first thing one thinks of when those two band names, Lich and Vek, come to mind? THE RIFFS!! And, with a band that is strictly instrumental, the riffs HAVE to be very prominent. For example, it's if they were listening to Exodus and Watchtower, or Realm while writing their stuff, very cool.

But, enough with the stupid name dropping; lets dive in! Normally anything happy (gross over-simplification, I know) is pretty lame in thrash metal. Of course referring to riffs that would be considered boring; like those riffs that stay on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th frets. Riffs that any jack off with three weeks of practice could write without thinking. What makes Latvala Bros. stand out is their ability to write really heavy Exodus-esque riffs and TRANSITION (I can't stress that enough) into something that sounds very major. Instead of using the word happy; you could call these riffs "Uplifting". If you are going to have an instrumental album, you HAVE to make it interesting. In the first song, and title track, you hear things go from a very aggressive face smashing riff, and then almost instantly morphs into a uplifting riff with very bright leads. Those are all over this bad mother.

However, they are not all uplifting. There are plenty of riffs in hear that are very minor. Listen to the part in Night of the Lizard at 1:47. There is definitely something interesting here; like not just minor, but it sounds like a Byzantine minor, or the Egyptian scale. And, before it begins to slow down with an acoustic guitar, they bring you back with what sounds like strings or a synth; that then ends on a HALF CADENCE?! Yeah... They just played that card. And slows down, not with an acoustic guitar, but one of the most out there leads I have ever heard. Yes, Night of the Lizard is a masterpiece.

But, oh wait, EVERY FREAKING SONG IS LIKE THAT! If the words, "Instrumental progressive thrash metal with classical and jazz influences", aren't enough to make you hit the "Download" button; then you may just have to kill yourself. I would recommend this to everyone, especially music majors or aspiring guitar players. This one is a masterpiece.

Monday, January 30, 2012

The crowd totally chanted that. Just sayin'. But, anyhoo, allow me to begin to give you a short glimpse into my childhood and why this short 3 song KD guest appearance show meant so much to me. In short, I discovered Cannibal Corpse at the ripe age of 8 upon watching the movie Ace Ventura. Shortly after, I found Napalm Death watching Mortal Kombat. At the age of 10 I wanted to learn how to play an instrument and on my 11th birthday I was awarded my first bass guitar. Along with that came the bass lesson, that I received from a very accomplished guitarist named Michael Harris. He was, and still is, a soft spoken, polite, and most importantly professional musician. The man taught me virtually everything I know! And, during lessons I would bring a CD in and he would teach me the songs on it. It would go like this:

Me: "These guys at school listen to Slipknot and System of a Down. I should learn their stuff."
Michael would teach me the entire CD and say: "Yeah, I can't say these guys are very good."
Me: "I hate them now. These guys suck so bad I think they gave me cancer."

I looked up to the guy. If you can't tell. And, almost every time I would be in a lesson; Matt Thompson would bust through the door and say something along the lines of, "Aw man! You guys are jamming some Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, DRI, etc..". Matt Thompson is the drummer for King Diamond.

...

And, for the surprise King Diamond show at Trees for the Nomad Recording Studio showcase; both of my childhood hero's performed with THE KING! That made the experience soooo great over here! The moment the curtains parted the crowd stirred into an uproar. The energy mimicked a bunch of 11 year old tweens at a Brittney Spears concert. And, seemingly out of nowhere, the venue was freaking packed! The musicians looked stunned for a moment before the King held open his arms and leaned into the mic and said, "I'm back." ROOAAARRR! "Let's see if I still got it in me!"

They went right into the song The Family Ghost off of Abigail. Needless to say, it was epic as hell. He did the whole thing where you grab the mic/stand and lean into the crowd; while he did those legendary KD falsetto's! Right then everyone was thinking, "Holy crap! It's the freaking King!". And, boy does he know how to own the stage! There is a reason they call him the King! He was moving all over the place! Maybe it was because he wasn't wearing his usual stage gear. Did I mention he wasn't wearing make up? Because, that is kind of important!

They quickly moved into the song "Burn", off of The Eye. Another, killer track performed incredibly! It was pretty amazing that Michael Harris was able to learn all 3 of these, including ALL of the solos in what was only about 3 weeks time. Him and Matt played so well together. After that they moved into, sadly, their final song; that was none other than EVIL by Mercyful Fate!

The coolest part of this is right after that beginning guitar break, the King let out a "UGH!" (Total thrash move) and the mosh pit erupted! What was funny is that right when that pit broke out, everyone around it must have been holding like 4 beers. GATDAMIT! Too bad it only lasted until the end of that song!

But I digress; this has been wordy enough. It is stellar that, have been out of it for around 5 years, a show that was completely advertised that KD was not going to be there. JUST A RUMOR! And, they could pack a whole venue with raging King Diamond fans!

Not too long ago I was completely unaware of the existence of such a band as Portal. Then one day a friend came up to me and suggested that I listen to them, saying that I’d probably like them, but that they’re the WEIRDEST band I’d ever hear. I had not hitherto come across such a musically (for the lack of a better word) formidable band--I seriously wasn’t aware of what I was about to dive into. No. Idea. Goddamn was he right, and crap, do they deliver--even if in the most unorthodox way possible.

I’d like to start this review by telling a little story. A while back I was trolling around on the Thrash Unlimited forums when I came across a discussion on Portal. Someone had just gotten into and was recommending them, and soon after other people joined in on the deliberation. One guy said that he “didn’t get it at all.” And then someone else joined in as well, asserting that it’s the “not getting it factor” that makes them awesome. Just incomprehensible badassery.

That’s probably all you need to know about them, but I will try to elaborate that point some more. Portal are a band [probably] like no other, and the first minute that you venture into the dark catacombs that is their music you will know what I’m talking about. You may, at first, concur with the statement that it’s merely incoherent noise. But if you listen more carefully, you’ll find that they, indeed, have very intricate patterns and melodies going on all over the place. Their melodies range from slightly death metal influenced ones such as on “The Swayy” (which is most likely the song with the most death metal influence on the entire album), or very dark, somber, more abrasive ones, such as on “Werships” or “llloomorpheme.”

You won’t be able to make out exactly what’s going on with the guitars, as oftentimes they just sound like a rough, raucous buzzing to the ear, but the melodies are something you will be able to discern--and when you do, you’ll be more than surprised at what you find. It’s very hard to describe their sound, as you just can’t pinpoint (at least I can’t) any other bands that sound like Portal. If I had the chance to create a whole new genre and name Portal the inaugurators of it, I would, as the guy in the aforementioned discussion on TU so eloquently put it, name it Incomprehensible Badassery. Seriously. Most of the time you can’t even headbang to them; and that certainly doesn’t make them bad. Quite the opposite.

The drum work on the album is phenomenal, and even if at times you may not be able to hear the double bass very clearly, it’s there, and it’s friggin’ fast. For example, on about 1:45 of the song “llloomorpheme,” he does some mind-blowing stuff. That is not easy, AT ALL, to play, and you have to give the guy props. The vocals, as well, are a stellar (as is everything else) facet on the record. They’re extremely creepy, and even more so when you see a live performance of the band. They’re not the average death metal growls--maybe somewhat close, not quite. They provide a certain ambiance, a tangible quality that I can’t quite explain, that the album would be without had it had different vocals.

Highlights on this record include “llloomorpheme,” “The Swayy,” hell, the ENTIRE album. I believe I’ve compiled my thoughts on this record as best as I could, as it’s a hard album to review, if only by the sheer weirdness of it. "Swarth" is certainly among my favorite death metal (if you can even call them that) albums of all time. It may be different for you, or it may not. But once you get the concept of their music, you’ll be surprised at how plain awesome they are. And also, if you do pick this gem up, do yourself a favor and listen to it at night. It may sound corny, but it just makes the whole listening experience that much more intense.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

I love me some progressive techy thrash! This album as a
whole is such a fun listen, without getting wanky! There is nothing I love
hearing in an album more than such a tight group of very talented musicians.
Not just some thrasher bros who don’t take too much pride in their instruments.
Don’t get me wrong! I am very impressed with the works of many bros. But, I
don’t need to tell you that the gentlemen in Watchtower are serious musicians.

But alas, I want to begin with how much I enjoy their
musicianship, and then dive into the album! It’s such a rarity to find a
bassist and guitarist that play so well together. This is a big inspiration for
me. There are many moments where the guitar jamming out a thrashy riff and the
bass will be matching his bass tones and adding octaves. That specifically was
a big influence for me! Or when there is a ripping high guitar lead and the
bass backs down and plays a harmony. Not to mention the Halford like vocals, those
are spot on and mixed beautifully around this album. There definitely isn’t any
other way I would like to hear vocals on an album such as this. And the very
skilled drums make for a band like no other! He makes me want to learn drums.
There are many little moments in the drums section that make me pause and
re-listen; which says a lot because I am very string instrument oriented.

The album starts with a VERY thrash guitar riff that brings
up the energy right away! There is actually something a little different at the
beginning because the way the drums and vocals are; it actually sounds very
punk at first with a hint of NWOBHM. I know that sounds crazy, but now that I
have said something I bet others notice it too. Not to mention how ground
breaking this was for its time; its easy to forget this was released in 1985!
The time period gives more of a reason why there is the upbeat punky NWOBHM
sounds in their style.

There is VEEERY notable mentions to every instrument in
every song! There is just so many stop and rewind points in the song with the
drums, vocals, guitar and bass! Just off the top of my head, there is the
chorus in the first song Violent Change; where those vocals are delivered with
such power. That is something most people can’t do even with lessons! And, to
be running around on stage and performing has got to be such an exhausting task
on his part!

MY personal favorite is DAT BASS! He is going to keep up
with those guitar leads and give you… DUN. DUN. DUUUN.. BASS SOLOS! A man after
my own heart; or vice versa… because he is older than me. The most bassy, guitary,
drum, and vocaly of all the tracks is most definitely the title track. You have
to hand it to these gentlemen for making the title track the best on the album.
The bass solo that begins at 2:52 is just mind blowing. The guitar solo that
follows is also second to the solo at 1:51 of Asylum; the way it comes in there
just makes me hit rewind every time! Another thing that really sticks out is
that every time there isn’t vocals, and the guitar and bass aren’t doing
anything out of this world, the drummer is just having the time of his life.
This happens often at the beginning of songs such as; Asylum and Tyrants in
Distress.

We can all take lessons from these guys. Certainly WAY ahead
of its time; if this album were to be released today…. It would still blow your
mind.
98%

Saturday, January 28, 2012

So earlier today I was able to conduct an interview with Alonso Maguiño, the guitarist/vocalist in Condition Critical, which follows below!

Ravenous Reviews: So first of all thanks for agreeing to do this interview and for anyone that hasn’t yet heard Condition Critical, definitely check them out!How and when did you guys get started? Was it simply a spontaneous epiphany or was there a specific reason?

Alonso Maguiño: Thanks for having us! Well, it all started with a vision... Haha nah, kidding. We were all tired of the scene around NJ. It basically started with me and Ryan and we just really wanted to create music that we would want to hear, really.

RR: I can almost guarantee you’ve been asked this question before, but what do you think of the new thrash scene? There are tons of people who just love it, and then there’s also ones that hate it. Where are you on this scale?

Alonso: I personally love it. The reason why is because I would rather to listen to thrash instead of that emo crap. I like what the newer bands have done by bringing the genre back and on a side note, my personal favorite is definitely Warbringer; they kick ass.

RR: Indeed, good choice. And who are some of your other favorite bands as of late?

Alonso: That's a good question. I honestly don't really have an answer to that one. I've been keeping myself from music aside from Condition Critical's stuff. We're currently writing the album and I like having my mind clear when we're writing.. it just makes it easier, for me at least.

RR: Makes sense. Where are some of your favorite places to play live? Any place that’s particularly crazy?

Alonso: Hmm... I would have to pick "The Barbery" in Philly just because we got to play with Whiplash and Morbid Saint, haha.

RR: Right, I heard about that! That one must have been totally sick. I've heard that you guys put on a pretty raucous live show. Always a good thing to hear. Who are some of Condition Critical’s biggest influences? Any bands that inspire you guys to write the way you do?

Alonso: Slayer, Demolition Hammer, and Vio-lence are definitely the top three. I'm all about the "party" thrash and all that but I also love the heaviness and brutality from those bands and we try to incorporate [that] to our style. Kreator is another big one for me, especially with vocals.

RR: Yeah, those all kick ass. What’s your take on being dubbed “Demolition Hammer Jr”?

Alonso: Haha, the first time I heard that, I got intimidated just for the fact that it's fucking DEMOLITION HAMMER! but it's really a great honor for us to have some people label us as a great band because let's face it; Demolition Hammer is a great fucking band and it's pretty cool to have people look at us that way. Let me make something clear real quick though, there's only ONE Demolition Hammer and they will never be replaced.

RR: Haha, very true. Following up on your earlier statement that you guys are writing a new album, I know I, as well as tons of other fans, are eager to hear more stuff from you guys. Will it be different from the Bred to Kill demo? What can you say about the style that it’s gonna have? Lyrics?

Alonso: The Bred to Kill demo was a success to all of us but we're aiming for something better for the album. I'm not really sure if it's going to sound like the Bred to Kill demo but what I can tell you is that it's going to sound like Condition Critical. There will be no fillers, just straight up fierce thrash tunes. I don't really like writing lyrics right away. I like to write the actual music part of the song first and then get a vibe from it and according to that, I write the lyrics for the song.

RR: Sounds killer, we're all psyched! Is there a rough date set for its release?

Alonso: Not yet, unfortunately... Sometime this year? We'll try to put it out as soon as we can, though. But if you're that eager to listen to some new stuff from the album, you can always come out to one of our shows and mosh to them.

RR: What’s the writing process like with you guys? Is there someone in particular who writes most of the songs?

Alonso: Everyone contributes in one way or another. We basically just write riffs on our own and try to put songs together then we go over to Ryan's and he puts his drum parts... it's pretty straightforward, really. Oh, and we also require a minimum of 18 beers per writing session; That's a very crucial thing.

RR: All right dude, I think that’s about it! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview! Do you have any last words to say to your fans out there reading this?

Alonso: Check us out on our Facebook and Reverb pages for the latest updates! We'll be putting some merch up online for sale too so keep an eye out for that and our shows coming up soon with D.R.I. and another with Jungle Rot in NJ. Thanks a lot for the interview and everyone else out there. Hope to see you out in the pit!

Make sure to like Condition Critical on Facebook and support them by going to their shows and buying their merch!
https://www.facebook.com/ConditionCriticalNJ

Old are a killer four-piece black/thrash act hailing from Germany. Germany is known mainly for being the country of origin of the three kings of the Teutonic thrash scene: Sodom, Kreator, and Destruction; all of which have (or had) a distinct style of evil, dirty sounding thrash metal. Then there’s other names such as Old who follow suit but take it to the next level. These German bastards have been at it since ‘03, bombarding us with filthy black/thrash. Unfortunately they are currently on hold, but they’ve left us with this hidden gem to keep us satisfied.

“Down With The Nails” begins with a slight doomy edge. “Black Jewel Throne” kicks off the album with an assault of catchy, mid-paced riffs that’ll certainly keep your head nodding along. Some may be slightly turned off by its slow tempo, but this is probably the slowest song in the entire album. In addition to its catchy d-beat chorus, it has some pretty cool lead work following after; a thing that’s rather scarce in this style of metal. After “Black Jewel Throne” comes a furor of different styled riffs, slightly akin to monsters such as Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, at times Aura Noir and Darkthrone.

Now, this is not the average black/thrash album. There isn’t much use of all-out black metal riffs and you probably won’t hear all-out thrash riffs either. What I especially like about this record is that it has tons of riffs spread throughout that bring to mind an undeniable speed metal influence. An example of this is in the intro to “Blood Skull,” or the one on “Down With The Nails.” These catchy riffs are simple but will tear you in and rip you apart, mixing within them a black metal influence as well; the end result being totally sick. Another worthy mention is the break in “Down With The Nails,” where the bass plays alone and is subsequently followed by a vehement speed metal attack.

The drums are fairly straightforward, varying from d-beats to slower mosh-styled ones and the occasional double-bass work. There isn’t that much variety, but there certainly is no need for it. To my recollection, there isn't one single blast beat on the entire record--which, in this case, is definitely a pro in my opinion. The guitars are terrific, and the crunchy, filthy guitar tone is awesome, suiting Old’s brand of black/thrash perfectly. The vocals are your typical black metal ones, save for the intermittent howl that’ll make your spine crawl.

I don’t think I can say much else about this album. It has its many merits: doom, speed, black, thrash riffs; a very cool mixture. A must for any fan of old school black, thrash or speed metal alike. Definitely check this one out, it won’t disappoint.

Friday, January 27, 2012

I’ll start this review by saying that I’m a huge asshole when it comes to newer thrash. A whole lot of it is really hit-or-miss for me, and chances are I probably won’t like it. So when I got recommended Razormaze’s latest three-song EP, “Miseries,” I was quite skeptical at first. I was not yet aware that what would ensue would be a nice thirteen minutes of thrashy goodness. Nevertheless, I decided to take my chances and I got it; and once the first song blasted on, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.

I’m quite glad that “Karma In/Karma Out” is the first song on this EP. It’s most likely the standout track, and the intro was able to catch my attention almost immediately. DAT BASS. Good shit. One of the catchiest intros I’ve heard in quite a while. A few seconds later, that chilling scream came through, and I knew that I was in it for good. They were able to successfully catch my attention, and I was curious as to how the rest of the EP would turn out.

The vocals are probably my least favorite aspect of the EP, but as I listened to it some more, they were able to grow on me some. Still not quite my cup of tea, but decent enough. Either way, I don’t judge a band by their vocals, and in this case I didn’t have to. The guitars easily make up for the slightly weak vocals. There’s tons of catchy riffs thrown in here and there, and the occasional melody as well (see “Miseries of the Flesh,” at 3:25)--and the songwriting is honestly, really good. Shit, these guys know how to keep you intrigued and satisfied. Listen to “Creed of Absolution” at approximately the 1:50 mark and on until the end; you’ll know what I’m talking about.

I’m not going to drool over the drummer, as he is, to be honest, nothing special--however, he’s still quite competent. He switches up his beats often enough so as to not come off as redundant, and he plays right along with the guitars, matching their rhythms. I especially like the sporadic addition of blasts in “Karma In/Karma Out.” It only serves to augment the already inherent catchiness of the song. Production-wise, I have, as always, no complaints. The bass is clearly audible, and I'm happy.

Just get this shit. I was quite satisfied, and I’m sure anyone else that picks it up will be as well. It was quite a nice surprise.

So I'm SmithMetal and I'll be one of the contributing authors of this site. Hopefully you'll enjoy reading our reviews, and we look forward to posting more in the not too distant future. I decided Ghoul's "We Came For The Dead!!!" to be my first review. Cheers, all!

Ghoul, hailing out of the [sometimes not so] might US of A, are a four-piece band that have infused in their songs influences drawn from multiple genres; be it death metal, thrash metal, or grindcore. If that alone isn’t enough to convince you to BUY THIS ALBUM, or any of their other albums, as they have yet to disappoint me or their other fans, then fine, I’ll further disclose to you why this album is worth getting. As I said they draw influences from multiple genres. Many of the riffs found on this album contain a strong crossover thrash influence, and it works out blissfully. Add in a touch (excuse the cliché) of grindcore and a pinch of death metal, and you’ve got yourself a fine mix in the works, kids.

From the slightly overlong (but still awesome) intro of "Graveyard Mosh/Ghoul" to the crushing headbanging goodness that comes after, this album will keep you entertained the whole way through. I’m not even kidding, nearly every single riff on this album is headbang-guaranteed. The very first riff on the record, albeit being a freakin’ incredible yet surprisingly simple one, doesn’t serve as a fair prelude to what you will hear upon further listening of the album. Sure, it gives you a small peek at what you’re about to get yourself into, but there are so many varied riff and styles on here that you really don’t know what you’re getting into.

People often tend to have qualms in regards to the production of certain albums, and oftentimes it lowers their opinion on the album somewhat. In my opinion, the production of a certain album is the least important facet of it, and unless you cannot hear anything AT ALL, I’ll [probably] have no issues with it; and this album is no exception to the rule. It is perfect, especially for the death/thrash style that Ghoul carry.

The guitars on the album are fantastic. There isn’t one bad riff (or song, for that matter) on the entire record. Every riff gets your veins pumping and your head drilling, and many of them are catchy as HELL. They’ll be chugging around in your head long after you’ve laid the album aside. As done as well on "Mondo Medicale" (Ghoul and Impaled share members, if you didn’t already know), the guitars are perfectly executed and the songwriting is, as well, great. All of the transitions and such on the album are exceptionally smooth; one example where this is especially manifest is in the song “From Death to Dust,” around the middle, when the mosh-riff blasts and blows your fucking head off. Listen to it. Now.

Everything else on the album is above-average and, too, deserves to be praised. Otherwise, I don’t think I have anything else to say about this record. Go out and get it now.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

I just dove
into these guys for the first time a while back, maybe a year; and I posted
this to the MA a while ago. This is some pretty crushing old school
deathrash! Let me start and say that my favorite part about these guys is
the KILLER mid-tempos throughout the cd (the upbeat "kick-snare"
drums/riffs). I just love the opening track, Back from the Dead. Whenever I
acquire a new listen, I always start with the first track and imagine I am
seeing them live and this track really represents what these guys are all
about.

Another one of my favorite tracks on this killer record of headbanging madness
is The Blades. I really love how the song goes from those killer speed riffs
with the fast old school blasts to the mid-tempos and back to the fast speed
riffs. I really love hearing that structure in thrash and it always gets me
pumped up.

The only real downside to these dudes is that the riffs are for the most part
pretty simple. I love me some tech, but that aside I DO think their simplistic
mid-tempos are also what makes them so fun, which is also a reason why I gave
them such a high score.

I would love to see these guys replicate this awesome cd live at a crusty house
show party because I know they would just TEAR IT APART! If you want a really
headbangable, fun, and old school deathrash listen, then most definitely check
these gentlemen out. They're just really killer to headbang to and I hope to
hear from them again.

Favorite tracks : Back from the Dead, The Blades, Energetic Krusher, Yukk.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Vektor is the type of band that I feel no matter how far
they go in their career, all the success in the world wouldn’t be enough to
match that of such prodigious talent. They simply give me everything I want to
hear in a thrash album; or any genre of album at that. There isn’t one thing I
would change about Outer Isolation or any of their previous albums.

1. Cosmic Cortex
I love that they start the
record with this song! It begins with, without asking them, what seems to sound
like radio emissions from the planet Saturn (Don’t ask me how I know that; Nerd
Alert!) then moves into a heartbeat that slows down into a clean intro. You
have got to hand it to them; that is some pretty nifty stuff! The intro in this
song to me is a shining monument to everything that is Vektor! Then Dave may
just make you spill your coffee with his high falsetto! Thus bringing the song
to maximum head-bangage! What really makes this track shine to me is the
remarkable guitar work! They really out did themselves with the different
harmonies and transitions! Specifically I would like to point out a few quick
riffs and transitions: Besides the intro, 3:03, 6:00, and the very last riff!
On that last riff, having one guitarist chug while, the other strums, what
sounds like an F minor chord, is just genius.

Haha I just wanted to say that the beginning of this song reminds me of fighting the "Brain" of Andross in Star Fox 64. Anyone?

2. Echoless Chamber

The
beginning here is a HUGE catcher! I love how it moves from that semi clean
intro to the verse riff so quickly. That is easily one of my favorite moments
of the whole album, it’s executed perfectly! That verse riff it quickly moves intro
is one MONSTER MOSH RIFF! The bridge in this song is out of this world as well!
I say that because of the outstanding BASS at 3:09 and so on! It brings in the
solo section so well!

3. Dying world

Gotta
love that bass! My favorite part of this beginning is the fill on the bell at
1:00 in! It’s those little things that bring out so much. The verse in here
really makes me want to stand in front, grab the monitor, and head bang until I
puke! But, most of all the whole song seems to be building towards the chorus,
which has somewhat of an old-school flair with the lyric, “Welcome to a Dying
World”!

4. Tetrastructural minds

I always seems to be mentioning intros. If you are wondering
why; it is because of the “Curb appeal”. When someone first selects a track, if
the intro doesn’t put them in a strangle hold right away, one may be inclined
to skip the track all together. That being said, HOW COULD ONE PASS UP THIS GEM!
Not with all that bass kicking your ass! I really enjoy all of the high notes
in the riffs. The harmonies really stand out here. But, the real flavor is at
4:22 where the song almost gets kind of “poppy”. Like, if you heard this part
alone you may not be able to tell this is Vektor. The clean part right before
it is magical as well. There couldn’t have been a better part. Also, I remember
Vektor mentioning a Pirate riff. I’m sure someone beat me too it, but it was in
to Demolition version of this song.

5. Venus Project

I
actually discovered Vektor because of this song. I was doing a little research
on Jacque Fresco, and I stumbled upon the greatest band ever. I’m not quite
sure if the lyrics are speaking of the same thing though haha. But alas, there
is a very interesting clean intro. Vektor’s standard is above awesome. Things
really get interesting when the song slows down. The bass under the clean part
is incredible; I think it carries the whole section. The background noises here
are very other worldly, if you are listening to this stoned… prepare for a
vision quest. That is all.

6. Dark Creations, Dead Creators

This is
the most “to the point” song on the whole album. A “Quicky” per say. That being
said, I love how this song still has about a minute of intro. Happy face.
Something that really shines in this song is the DRUMS! The highlights of which
is the intro, obviously, and the part at 2:37; where at one part he throws some
double bass in there and the next time around you hear some blasty snare! If
you are a drummer, you better hit rewind! The solos afterward are… how do I say…
Special because they are more “standard?” than their others. That may be a poor
choice of words, but I am trying to say that they seem to stand out because I
know Erik makes a point not to have boring solos or leads. And he does so by
saying, mother fuck the major and minor Pentatonic (If I may), and tends to
lean more modal with the things he writes; a man after my own heart. And, I am
not saying that this solo is boring; I am saying I love it and it really stands
out!

7. Fast Paced Society

There
is even more bass awesomeness here at the beginning! I really wish I knew how
they went about writing this part. Because, I would find it hard to write a
catchy and simple bass line to EITHER that beginning drum beat or the guitar
that follows. Amirite, gentlemen amirite? But, moving on… THE TRANSITIONS… OH
GOD THE TRANSITIONS! I could only imagine how long it would take me to write
this glorious bastard! Just skip around to any part of the song, and think,
what the hell how did they get here? Also, LOVE the mid tempo upbeat at 3:51.
And, the chaos at the very end of the song is freaking genius. That moves
beautifully into the last song.

8. Outer Isolation

Alas! The final track! Vektor
never fails to make the title track one of the best. This one has a different
feel to it. And, I can’t quite put my finger on it. I really like that high
note that jumps up and says high during the verse riff. And again! My favorite
part in this song is the clean, slower part; and really the whole bridge. The
classical influence really shines out to create the most beautiful lead. Prog
nerds could really take a lesson from this section! It really moves from clean
to heavy very well here. I always pay attention to things like that because if
you don’t know… Those things are very hard to write!

Favorite Tracks - 1, 2, and 8

100%

Not all my reviews will be this long. Just seeing as this is
the first one of my blog I wanted to do something special. And, I really needed
to write all this out before my thoughts on this album drove me insane.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Hey! I decided that I spend enough time on the net on my off days to create my own blog! I love reviewing albums of all sorts! I love thrash metal most of all, but I plan to also review a lot of death metal; as well as other things like shows and bass things! I don't plan on reviewing anything I don't like but if you don't get a review DON'T WORRY!

I also play bass and do vocals in the band Insinnerator! As well as play bass for Silver Tongue Devil! I have taken many many music classes and grew up playing the electric bass, and the Viola. I also play the electric and acoustic guitar, but I wouldn't consider myself to be a very good guitarist. I own 4 guitars and 4 basses, 2 Violas, and a Banjo. I also, know how to play the Cello, Violin, Stand up Bass, and have had vocal lessons, and blah blah blah.

I just want to put out there that I am very musically oriented, and very picky.

A pet peeve of mine is reading a review where one lets the mixing or production cloud their judgement of another ones talent! I try my best not to be that guy!

I love underground music, and really all music at that! Thank you so much for reading!